


Briefings and Debriefings

by LittleLynn



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Getting Together, Knight Kenobi and Master Jinn team up for a mission, M/M, he was 10/10 not prepared for Qui-Gon to hold his hand, stupid boys need to learn how to talk to each other, that obi definitely should have read the briefing for first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 03:19:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5852035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLynn/pseuds/LittleLynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Knight Kenobi learns the consequences of not reading the mission briefing the hard way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Briefings and Debriefings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nathamuel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathamuel/gifts).



 

 

This mission was turning out to be a unique kind of torture.

Only that didn’t quite do it justice, because Obi-Wan had been taught how to cope with torture and work through it with the help of the force. But this, this, he had absolutely no idea how to cope with this. 

No one had ever prepared him for  _this_.

Arguably, his current situation was his own fault. He had been knighted almost two full years now, so when the council had contacted him with a mission alongside his old master, he had accepted without actually bothering to read what the mission entailed.

He had figured it wouldn’t matter, whatever it was he and Qui-Gon were bound to have faced worse – Naboo with the Sith and Qui-Gon’s near death experience came instantly to mind, as much as Obi-Wan tried never to think about it – and honestly, Obi-Wan felt the mission didn’t matter, because when it came down to it, he simply missed Qui-Gon, he missed spending his days with him, and he would take any mission that allowed them to spend time together.

It was Naboo and the heart-shaking aftermath when Obi-Wan had realised the depth of his feelings for his master. Sitting and crying at his bedside, refusing to move for weeks, he was sure Yoda had seen the truth of his feelings then, Mace too, thankfully they had never said anything.

But Qui-Gon had recovered and Obi-Wan’s knighting had forced them apart and their meetings since had been too sporadic and short for Obi-Wan’s heart.

So of course he had jumped at the chance to go on a mission with Qui-Gon, whatever that mission might be.

Or so he had though.

Obi-Wan could only sigh internally and resign himself to his fate, vowing to always read the briefing before accepting the mission as Qui-Gon’s arm rested warm and sure around his waist.

It was a diplomatic mission with a race that considered unbonded or unmarried individuals to be emotionally immature, therefore if the Jedi wished to be taken seriously – or even allowed – in the negotiations, they would have to appear as a bonded pair.

Thus his current predicament.

Qui-Gon’s thumb absently rubbed against his side and Obi-Wan bemoaned the council for whatever had possessed them not to send a pair of Jedi that actually were bonded.

“Are you alright Obi-Wan? You seem tense.” Qui-Gon said quietly, practically murmured in his ear, ducking his head slightly to do so.

Well yes, Obi-Wan thought, _of course_ , he was tense, for two weeks now he’d been busy pretending to be in a relationship with the one person he wanted to be in a relationship with, _knowing_ that every affectionate, loving thing that Qui-Gon was doing was just an act that had absolutely nothing to do with Obi-Wan.

He felt like he was going to be needing to take his heart to the healers by the time this was over.

Luckily it looked like they were only going needed for a day or two more. Thank the Force.

“I’m fine.” Obi-Wan smiled and forced himself to relax and not focus on Qui-Gon’s warmth beside him.

He knew Qui-Gon was frowning without needing to look, but hopefully he would let the subject drop anyway, though with his luck right now Obi-Wan was hardly surprised when he didn’t.

“I don’t like it when something is bothering you, you can tell me anything, I hope you know that.” Qui-Gon told him gently, always so careful not to make anything sound like a master demanding an answer from his padawan, not that Qui-Gon had ever even demanded things when he was his padawan.

“Just tired.” Obi-wan assured, it should have been a lie, this was by comparison a very relaxing mission and he should have been getting plenty of sleep, but given that he was hyper-aware of Qui-Gon sleeping right beside him, sleep had been eluding him.

After all why would they need two beds, they were a couple. Something that Qui-Gon was far too good at simulating for Obi-Wan’s heart.

“You’re not sleeping well?” Qui-Gon asked, concern only growing at Obi-Wan’s admission. Qui-Gon seemed to be sleeping far better than Obi-Wan had ever seen him before. “Why didn’t you say? I could use a force compulsion to help send you off?” He then offered.

“No, it’s fine, I’m fine.” Obi-Wan tried to reassure again, in truth he was rather relived he wasn’t sleeping, because it meant he didn’t end up waking up in an embarrassing position, such as clinging onto Qui-Gon in his sleep, or worse.

The frown was still creasing Qui-Gon’s features and Obi-wan couldn’t help the hand that came up to smooth his brow, Qui-Gon’s face relaxing under his touch. There were people around, Qui-Gon would think it was just for show.

“Go back to the room, get some sleep. I’ll join you when I can.” Qui-Gon told him.

“I can stay.” Obi-Wan insisted, not wanting Qui-Gon to think he was completely incompetent despite all the hard work he had put into his training.

“Nonsense. This is merely a social event Obi-Wan, I will happily make your excuses, and tomorrow we can wrap up the negotiations. How long have you had trouble sleeping? If you don’t mind my asking.”

“It is a recent development.” Obi-Wan tried to sound casual, hoping Qui-Gon ignored the vagueness and didn’t look into it too hard.

“Go. Sleep.” He pressed after giving Obi-Wan a gently inquisitive look that Obi-Wan had valiantly not given in to.

Obi-Wan smiled and ducked his head in thanks, though it was more for being able to escape all the heartbreakingly affectionate actions from Qui-Gon than to sleep, he was finding it harder to deal with the fact they didn’t mean anything, and that he was going to have to go back to not having them very soon. He wasn’t sure which was worse, being forced to have it or being forced to lose it.

Actually no, he knew what was worse, it was the fact that for Qui-Gon, it was all an act.  

Obi-Wan was unprepared for the soft kiss Qui-Gon laid on his cheek before letting go of his waist so he could leave. It was one of only a few kisses, always to his cheek or forehead, and Obi-Wan had catalogued the scratch of his beard, the soft, lingering touch of his lips, the feel in his heart as it tricked him into thinking it was real just for a second. They were good seconds.

Obi-Wan reinforced his shields as he forced himself to smile as naturally as he could, he would rather Qui-Gon was confused by his strengthened shields rather than could feel his heartbreak, or his love, his longing that Qui-Gon would kiss him because he wanted to and not because they were in a room full of people that needed to believe they were a couple.

As Obi-Wan exited the hall and headed back to their assigned quarters he could already hear Qui-Gon making his excuses for him, he also heard more than one well-meant joke about Qui-Gon not wanting to join his young and handsome bondmate for an ‘early night’. If only, Obi-Wan thought. And he had to disagree, Qui-Gon was the handsome one.

The minute the door closed behind him the real extent of his exhaustion washed over him, a kind of emotional exhaustion he supposed. It was the first time he had been away from Qui-Gon and his loving touches and words. Even when they were in here alone they shared a bed – after all they’d shared sleeping quarters before, so it shouldn’t be a problem now surely?

He stripped off his cloak and tunics, slipping on his comfy sleep pants and climbing into the obscenely comfortable bed that he hadn’t been able to enjoy the way he wanted because he’d been so paranoid about curling into Qui-Gon’s arms during the night. But Qui-Gon wasn’t here right now, and Obi-Wan was tired, and he knew he would wake up when Qui-Gon eventually entered the room anyway, so he didn’t see the harm in letting himself drift off for now.

Obi-Wan dreamt deeply of strong arms and a tall frame surrounding him, they danced like they had that evening, only in his dream the intimacy was real, and when he kissed him it wasn’t just his cheek and it wasn’t just for show and when Obi-Wan went back to their room’s early he didn’t go alone and he didn’t go for sleep.

It was a good dream.

It was a _very_ good dream.

Obi-Wan woke slowly, feeling warm and safe and sleepy despite his long rest. Still half asleep he snuggled into the warmth beside him, his resultant morning erection after the very enjoyable dream rubbing lazily against the solid warmth beside him before he settle again, still too sleepy to really want to do anything about it.

He didn’t realise exactly what that warm solid thing beside him was in fact a person until the comforting weight around him squeezed him gently, Obi-Wan smiled and burrowed further into the embrace, nuzzling his face into a neck and inhaling a familiar scent and indulging himself by rubbing along that tall body. The person beside him rumbled and held him tighter and Obi-Wan sighed happily.

Then his eyes flew open and he froze in his skin as he remembered exactly where he was, and far more importantly, who he was with.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to escape the embrace without waking Qui-Gon, but he wasn’t sure if waking him in his escape and rushing into the ‘fresher was better or worse than staying very still and _praying_ his erection went away before Qui-Gon woke up.

Obi-wan attempted to very slowly pull away from the embrace, only to have Qui-Gon mumbling something in a sleep roughened voice and rolling towards him, holding him even closer than before and pulling Obi-Wan into his chest. His wonderfully bare chest. He then noticed something hard pressing against his hip as Qui-Gon settled further into the embrace and had no clue what to do with that information, especially as the chances of Obi-Wan himself being the cause of it were so horribly slim.

It was such a messed up version of what he really wanted that he found himself holding back tears.

He somehow doubted that Qui-Gon would appreciate waking up with Obi-Wan not only wrapped up in his arms but wide awake and sporting a highly embarrassing morning problem, but he couldn’t escape the embrace either, not without waking his old master before he was anywhere near the edge of the bed.

Obi-Wan did the only thing he could think of in that moment, and he pretended to be asleep. Maybe Qui-Gon would roll over again and he would be able to get away without mortally embarrassing himself and making his relationship with Qui-Gon eternally awkward. Maybe if Qui-Gon woke and thought he was asleep he would slip away and spare them both the fallout.

Obi-Wan lay there trying to calm his body when Qui-Gon shifted again, which not only caused friction that successfully undid all of his mental calming, but also left Qui-Gon’s face buried in the juncture of his neck. The hot puffs of air would have been bad enough even if it weren’t for the mumbling and subsequent lips moving over his skin that accompanied it.

Obi-Wan suppressed a groan and wondered why the Force had chosen to hate him lately.

“Mmm, my Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon hummed against his neck, voice thick with sleep and Obi-Wan froze in his skin for the second time.

He was scared to so much as breathe as Qui-Gon’s lips started lazily kissing that point on his neck. Obi-Wan knew his body would be on fire because of those lips – more so than it already was – were it not for the confusion rolling through him. Qui-Gon kept mumbling those words in his sleep addled state, though Obi-Wan heard them clearly and his heart pounded at the stray hope that maybe Qui-Gon wouldn’t mind waking up with him in his arms.

A big hand siling down his flanks and dipping belong his sleep pants had Obi-Wan squeaking “Qui-Gon?!” Before he could think better of it.

It was Qui-Gon’s turn to freeze that time, his hand only very narrowly not being on Obi-Wan’s ass and there was no way he hadn’t noticed all the ways and all the parts of them that were currently pressed together.

“Obi-Wan I am sorry I don’t know what came over me I – ”

“It’s fine. Not your fault.” Obi-Wan’s voice was strained and Qui-Gon’s arms were very slowly letting go of him, like he was a small animal that would scare and run away at any moment, which incidentally wasn’t too far from the truth.

He did his best to look like he wasn’t running away, forcing himself to move as slow as he could stand as he extracted himself from the bed and headed for the ‘fresher, grabbing his clothes on the way. Qui-Gon had an unreadable expression on his face from where he was sat up in the bed now.

Obi-Wan forced himself through an icy shower, unwilling to deal with his morning problem – that despite it all hadn’t gone away – in any other way. Despite the fact that they no longer had the training bond, Obi-Wan could sense the calm that indicated Qui-Gon had slipped into a light meditation.

Despite knowing Qui-Gon was meditating, Obi-Wan still hid in the bathroom for far longer than he should have, spending an inordinate amount of time combing his hair and trimming his newly grown beard. He had always looked so young he liked that the beard made him look more his age, he knew Qui-Gon liked it, probably another reason he was planning on keeping it.

Unable to think of any more even slightly plausible reasons to stay in the ‘fresher Obi-Wan went back into their room, leaving Qui-Gon to his meditation, he was still on the bed, sat instead of kneeling as he usually meditated, hair mussed from sleep, chest bare and breathing steadily. Careful not to disturb him Obi-Wan headed out to the balcony and decided to do the same, kneeling on the balcony floor and quieting his mind.

Even his meditation couldn’t completely free him from the oppression this mission was weighing on him, the acute pain it was causing him, the worry that this morning’s awkward awakening would make things difficult between him and Qui-Gon where things had always been easy before.

When his mind started to clear again a while later Obi-Wan became aware of a steady gentle presence beside him. Even now Qui-Gon felt like an anchor to Obi-Wan. He had no idea what he would do if he lost him.

They were silent for a long while, looking out over the pretty landscape, breathing in the fresh air. It was Qui-Gon who broke the silence, it made sense as Obi-Wan really had no idea what to say, or even what needed to be said.

“I am sorry.”

“I have already said you do not need to apologise. No one was at fault. We were asleep.” Obi-Wan answered gently, his ever gallant master feeling the need to apologise. He noticed Qui-Gon shaking his head slightly.

“I am not talking about this morning. Though I apologise for that as well.”

“What then?”

“For allowing the council to even suggest we pair back up to take this mission. It made no sense but I ignored it through pure selfishness.”

“I did too. I missed you and wanted to spend time with you. But it hasn’t been a total disaster has it? We’ve successfully navigated the negotiations and I certainly have enjoyed having you back in my life.” Obi-Wan smiled, and it was as genuine as his words, even if it continued to conceal his true feelings.

“You don’t understand.”

“So help me to. You were always good at making me understand things, my master.” Obi-Wan used the old title as an endearment as he sometimes did, Qui-Gon’s lips quirked up, but it was only a half-smile at best.

“The specifics of the mission.” Qi-Gon said haltingly, he was clearly forcing himself through the conversation just as clearly as it was that he didn’t want to have it.

“The negotiations?” Obi-Wan asked, only increasingly confused, Qui-Gon looked frustrated, though at himself, not Obi-Wan.

“The requirements.” Qui-Gon said vague again, but Obi-Wan realised what he was referring to.

“To pretend to be a couple?”

“Yes.”

“That is not your fault? Why would you be sorry for that?” Obi-Wan asked, fear welling up in him that Qui-Gon had hated the idea of being intimate, even when it was just for show, that every affectionate touch and chaste kiss he had given Obi-Wan had sickened him. He forced himself not to tremble, to continue the conversation calmly.

“Because I used it as an excuse and that was not fair on you.”

“I don’t understand.” Obi-Wan said again, Qui-Gon sighed and a bone-deep resignation washed over his features, shoulders sagging.

“I used it as an excuse to be close to you, and not in the way we have always been. I saw it as a pretext to put my arms around you, to dance with you, to tell you all the things I was otherwise too cowardly to say. To hold you and show I loved you, to have you say it back under the only circumstances I can imagine you ever would. It was wrong of me Obi-Wan and it was a violation and I should not have done it. I used you and I am sorry.”

They were quiet for a long time. It took a long time for Obi-Wan to even begin to understand what Qui-Gon was saying to him. It was everything he wanted to hear wrapped up in an apology, he had to take the time to believe it, to find the right words to say back. Eventually he spoke.

“Do you know what I dreamt about last night?”

“No?” Qui-Gon answered, though his question was to why Obi-Wan was asking in the first place, not about his dream.

“I dreamt about everything we did yesterday. With just little changes. I dreamt that the intimacy was real not staged when we danced, for our own hearts not the benefit of onlookers. I dreamt that you meant it when you said those sweet and loving things to me. I dreamt you kissed my lips as well as my cheek and that you did it simply because you wanted to, not for show. I dreamt that when I went to bed early you came with me and we curled up together and made love, private and intimate. I dreamt that you loved me the way I love you.”

Qui-Gon’s breath hitched as Obi-Wan told him about his dream, life and hope returning to those resigned limbs. It felt as though Qui-Gon was too scared to speak, as if doing so would break the illusion. Obi-Wan felt it too, but he found the courage to turn and face Qui-Gon’s face, handsome leonine features filled with a mixture of hope and disbelief.

“Do I still have to just dream it?” Obi-Wan asked, his voice was sincere, his face open, his shields down, letting all the love he felt flow from him.

“No.” Qui-Gon gasped, shaking his head. “No you don’t have to dream it.”

Obi-Wan wasn’t sure which of them moved, and it didn’t really matter as the end result was the same and they were kissing, deep and slow and full of a simple longing it was hard to put into words but somehow drowned out the desperation Obi-Wan was sure he would feel if this moment ever came. For now they seemed to need to reassure themselves, to give into the longing before they gave into desire.

Their beards rasped together and Qui-Gon’s arms were around him, Obi-Wan’s hands fisted into Qui-Gon’s shirt. Qui-Gon’s tongue traced the seam of his lips and Obi-Wan happily yielded and his lips fell open, taking it in turns to explore each other’s mouths, to learn each other’s taste, to believe they could have all the things they had both given up hope on.

They kissed for a long while.

\---------

Qui-Gon like to hold his hand or put his arm around him, he liked to press kisses into his hair and hold him close whenever acceptable. It was the most natural thing in the world, and Obi-Wan was sure he had not smiled so much in a very long time.

They had talked, it had been Naboo for both of them, the realisation that their love had long since shifted into something new.

When they reached the temple they went straight to the council chamber, more interested in declaring their relationship as all Jedi must than they were in reporting about the mission. None of the councillors look surprised, and despite shielding Obi-Wan could sense a smug feeling around the room. It made him more than a little suspicious and prompted him to ask his real question.

“There is one thing that has been confusing me.” Obi-Wan started, Yoda inclined his head to indicate he ask his question. “Given the nature of the mission, why did the council not simply send an already bonded pair of Jedi?”

“Think you know that already, I do.” Answered Yoda with enough mirth to make it clear this had been a deliberate calculation from the council. They weren’t even bothering not to look smug now.

Qui-Gon glared at his old master and Obi-Wan couldn’t help his exasperated head shake as they left the chamber hand in hand.

They both heard the laughing that broke out as the door closed behind them. Well at least the council clearly approved of the relationship.

Obi-wan kissed him thoroughly when he reached the rooms that would be theirs once again, simply because he could.

Then they went to their room for a little _debriefing_  of their own.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ha. Pants joke at the end. Because why the hell not :') 
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to come say hi on [tumbles](http://obithefabulous.tumblr.com/), I do take prompts if you have one, though I make no guarantees on being able to fulfil them all, just drop it in my [tumblr askbox](http://obithefabulous.tumblr.com/ask) <3


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